Historic bridge re-emerges

Several large trees which hid Bowker's Bridge, over McCormick's Creek near Dunback, have recently been removed.

The bridge, built in 1869, is the last of the original arched stone bridges still visible on the old coach road to Central Otago. Heritage New Zealand information says the schist stone used in the bridge was unusual for its time.

The bridge was used by people travelling from Dunedin to the Central Otago goldfields through the Pigroot.

By the 1950s the one-way bridge was becoming too small for the usage it was getting, and in 1962 a new bridge (rear) was built over the creek.

Stones were removed from the old bridge's parapet to support the abutments of the new bridge.